This is a new blog series that focuses on life stories that have caught my attention. With some being better known than others.

The thread of this series began when Amazon offered up one of their "Recommendations," which was Steve Blamires, The Chronicles of the Sidhe. I am always interested in new books about fairy folklore, and decided to look at the review. It turned out to be intriguing in that Mr. Blamires offered the theory that the biographer/poet, William Sharp, was possessed by a Fairy spirit, who had taken on the name Fiona McLeod. And through her abilities wrote volumes of powerful poetry.

NowI wasn't too sure about the theory, but I was intrigued by William Sharp's story, because it was a fact that he did write poetry (some said it was better than his own) under the name Fiona McLeod. He also carried on quite a elaborate plan, for many years, to make her seem to be real individual.

Mr. Blamires also wrote one of the few biographies on William Sharp, entitled, The Little Book of Great Enchantment, which is a more standard biography. What also makes William Sharp's life interesting is that his life overlapped so many other fascinating people - Y. B. Yeats, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Wellesley Tudor Pole (via Glastonbury and the blue chalice).

While I don't subscribe to Mr. Blamires' theory of fairy possession I will admit that William's Sharp early death did remind me of the legend of the Leanan sídhe. The Leanan Sidhe being a fairy lover/muse who inspired their chosen lover to great heights of artistic fame - before cutting their lives short.

Be that as it may, the books on William Sharp brought to my attention other life stories I wanted to follow, and I will write more about these later.I am including some links to Fiona MacLeod's poetry: